How to Register a Car in California

Registering a New Vehicle

Gather ownership documents. To register your car, you'll have to bring documents that prove to the DMV that you own it. This generally means you'll need to bring your title, or the bill of sale if you financed the car and the title is being held by the finance company. If you purchased your car from a dealership, they typically take care of the registration for you. You'll get a temporary registration certificate to use until the DMV sends you the official registration. Ask the dealer if they issue tags as well.

Calculate your registration fees. The California DMV provides a fee calculator on its website that you can use to figure out what the registration fees will be for your new car. If you purchase your car from a dealer, they typically will add the fees to your purchase price. To use the calculator, go to https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/feecalculatorweb/index and click on the link for "new vehicles." Even if you purchased your car from a dealer, it can be worth your time to go onto the DMV website and double-check the amount of your registration fees to make sure the dealer charged you the correct amount.

Complete an application for title or registration. If the dealer is taking care of registration for you, they may have you complete or sign this application before you take possession of the car. You can also download the form online. The application requires information about you and the seller. You also must provide information about the transaction, including how much you paid for the car.

Visit your local DMV. If your dealer didn't take care of the initial registration of your new car for you, you'll need to take a trip to a DMV field office. When you submit your application and fees, the DMV clerk will register your car for you. To find the nearest DMV field office, go to the DMV website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/fo/offices/toc_fo. The page contains an alphabetical list of towns and cities in California. Click on your city to see a list of field office locations. To cut down on your wait time, the California DMV recommends that you make an appointment. You can schedule your appointment online or by calling 1-800-777-0133.

Submit your application and fees. A DMV clerk will review your ownership documents and process your application. You should also be prepared to show the clerk your driver's license and proof of insurance. Once your application is processed, the clerk will assess your fees. You can pay your fees with cash, a personal check, or a credit or debit card. The clerk will issue your official registration document and give you new tags to put on your car. If you requested a specialty or custom plate, you will be issued temporary plates until your order is fulfilled and your plates are mailed to you.

Transferring Registration to a New Owner

Gather required ownership documents. You may need to register a car that was given to you, or that you bought from another person. You still have to be able to prove that you are the rightful owner of the car. This typically means providing either the title to the car or a copy of your bill of sale. If you have the title for the car, make sure you and the seller have completed the odometer disclosure section. Otherwise, you'll need to get a REG 262 Form from the DMV to submit an odometer disclosure for the car. This isn't required if the car is more than 10 years old.

Get a smog certification. If you purchase a car from a private owner, they are responsible for taking care of the smog certification. They must present you with a valid smog certificate if the car is more than 4 years old, unless they renewed the registration less than 90 days before they sold you the car. A smog certificate is only valid for 90 days, so make sure you get the car registered in your name before the certificate expires, or you'll have to get another one. You can find nearby smog stations by visiting https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov. You may want to check several, since prices aren't regulated and may vary among stations. If car ownership is being transferred between family members, you may not have to get a smog certification. You must complete and submit a "Statement of Facts" asserting that the transfer is exempt. Only transfers between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, spouses or domestic partners, or between siblings are eligible for this exemption.

Calculate your registration fees. You can go online to the California DMV's website to figure out what your registration fees will be before you go to the DMV and register your car. When you provide information about your car, when you bought it, and how much you paid for it, the fee calculator will tell you how much you'll have to pay in fees and taxes to register your car. The fee calculator for used vehicles is at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/wasapp/FeeCalculatorWeb/usedVehicleForm.do. If the vehicle was previously registered in another state, use the calculator at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/wasapp/FeeCalculatorWeb/newResidentForm.do.

Make an appointment at your local DMV. If you don't want a long wait at the DMV field office when you register your car, you can make an appointment on the DMV's website or by calling 1-800-777-0133. If you don't know where the nearest DMV field office is, you can also find it on the DMV's website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/fo/offices/toc_fo.

Submit a completed application and fees. The DMV has an application for title or registration that you can either download online from the DMV's website or fill out in person at the DMV field office while you're waiting for your registration appointment. The application requires you to provide information about yourself, including your full legal name, address, and driver's license number. You'll also have to provide information about the sales transaction itself, such as the amount (if any) you paid for the car and the estimated value of the car. If you were given the car by a family member, bring a statement of facts certifying the relationship so you can claim your use tax and smog exemptions. You can download this form at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/forms/reg/reg256.

Show your driver's license and proof of insurance. Before the DMV clerk will complete your registration, you must be able to prove that you are a licensed driver in California and that you have car insurance that meets the state minimum requirements. California's minimum requirements are liability coverage of $15,000 for a single person's injury or death, $30,000 for the injury or death of multiple people, and $5,000 for property damage.

Renewing Registration

Check your renewal notice. You should receive a renewal notice in the mail approximately 60 days before your car's registration expires. Even if you don't receive a notice, you're still responsible for renewing your registration. There is no grace period for renewal registration fees. Even though your tag only displays a month and year, your registration expires on a specific date. That date is listed on your renewal notice. If you pay your fees late, you will be assessed a penalty. If it's getting close to the month shown on your tag, call 1-800-777-0133 to find out how much your renewal fees are and the exact date when they're due. Check the DMV's record information to make sure they have your correct address.

Get a smog certificate if required. Depending on where you live, you may be required to get a biennial smog check. If you live in a county or ZIP code where these checks are required, you'll have to get a smog certificate every other year when you renew your registration. If your deadline for renewal is approaching and you haven't been able to get your smog certificate yet, or you need to have repairs made to your car before you can pass the inspection, you can go ahead and pay your taxes and fees to renew your registration. You'll avoid any late penalties or additional fees, but you won't get your sticker until you get your smog certificate.

Gather information about your vehicle. To renew your car's registration online, you'll need your license plate number and the last 5 digits of your vehicle identification number (VIN). Get this information together before you start the online renewal process. If you have your renewal notice, you may find the information you need on the notice. You'll also need to have your smog certification filed with the DMV. You typically can get the smog check staff to do this for you.

Go to the California DMV website to renew your registration online. The California DMV provides a way for you to quickly and easily renew your registration on the DMV website, so you don't have to go to a DMV field office and wait in line. You still have the ability to renew your registration at a field office in person if you want to, but the California DMV recommends that you renew online if at all possible. To begin the renewal process, go to https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/vrir/vr_top2. Click on the "Start" button and follow the prompts.

Confirm the DMV record for your car. Once you pull up your information, you need to make sure the information about your car in the DMV record is correct. If not, you'll have the opportunity to correct it. You should also check your personal information, particularly if you never received a renewal notice. If you've recently moved, make sure the DMV has your new address.

Receive your new stickers. If you renew your registration in person, the clerk at the DMV field office will give you your stickers immediately. However, if you renew online, you'll have to wait to get your stickers in the mail. Because you have to wait for your stickers if you renew online, it's a good idea to get your renewal done well before the deadline so you'll have your new stickers before your old ones expire. You can expect to receive your stickers within 5 to 10 business days.